Ever heard of Cirque du Soleil? I’m sure you have. How about this; the Beatles? Now I know you’ve heard of them, right? Please, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last, oh I don’t know, 50-or-so years, you must know who I’m talking about. John, Paul, George and Ringo, four names that will go down in history and that still to this day hold significant meaning in the music industry and amongst music enthusiasts.
Cirque du Soleil, which is French for Circus Of The Sun, on the other hand, is a bit of a newer phenomenon, but has still created just as much of an impact as those four mop-tops from England did in the ‘60s. The show, originally formed in 1984 by performers Guy Laliberte and Daniel Gauthier, has become an international “must see,” and has grown immensely in size and popularity since its humble beginnings. As most things do, the show started off a small enterprise, employing only 73 performers and has since become a production boasting over 3,500 employees and 15 shows throughout the country.
In essence, the circus is a combination of performance styles inspired from all over the world, yet each show tells a very specific story, the most recent of which, has been that of the Beatles. The latest and greatest storyline, the history of the Beatles from their 1969 invasion of the United States to their eventual break-up in 1970, has become a smash hit and is attended regularly by intrigued Beatles and Cirque du Soleil fans alike. Stationed securely in Las Vegas, the show is nothing short of a major success, and in honor of the success of The Beatles Love by Cirque du Soleil and, of course, The Beatles themselves, one of the nation’s top retailers, Bloomingdales, has secured the rights to all of the Beatles’ music, art work, etc. through Apple Corps, the first partnership ever of its kind that the famed company has ever entered into.
The friendship between Harrison and co-founder of Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberte, is what initially inspired the creation of The Beatles Love by Cirque du Soleil, and in turn the show inspired Bloomingdales Executive President and General Merchandise Manager to reach out to Apple Corps for the rights to basically anything that has anything to do with the Beatles. Hence, you have Bloomingdales’ Fall 2008 Apparel line, inspired by The Beatles Love by Cirque du Soleil, and brought to life by some of fashion’s most well-known and praised designers. The project involves a complete fall men’s line of entirely Beatles-esque threads, a revamping of the store to reflect the new inspirations and, of course, Beatles music to be played through the department store speakers.
The line, created by participating designers such as Marc Jacobs, Psycho Bunny, Hickey, Katherine E. Hamnett, Trunk, Outpost Trading Company, Alan Aldridge and Jon Varvatos for Converse, features specifically designed garments such as t-shirts, ties, jackets, handkerchiefs and cufflinks, all adorned with something Beatles-related, whether it be a graphic tee with Beatles album art or song lyrics to ties and cufflinks sporting Beatles-familiar logos and images. It’s the perfect tribute to the group who, upon arriving in the U.S., sparked the nation’s interest immediately and spearheaded a new musical movement into the much loved rock and roll genre. Being that this is the first ever partnership of its kind amongst Apple Corps and any outside retailer, these fantastically designed clothes are well-worth picking up for any Beatle fan’s memorabilia, even if some of the items are a bit on the pricy side (a jean jacket from Converse for $295? Dad won’t be getting that for Christmas this year!).
Look out for the Beatles-inspired gear at Bloomingdales stores by late October 2008.
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